Bonheur ASA, H. Lundbeck A/S and OMX AB Shares: Nordic Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or
decline in Nordic markets. Symbols follow company names and
prices are from the last close.

The Dow Jones Nordic 30 Index rallied 108.74, or 1.2
percent, to 9030.83, as all but two of its members gained. The
measure added 1.2 percent this month.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Yunnan Tin Agrees to Buy 5 Percent Stake in Australia's Metallica Minerals

(Bloomberg) -- Yunnan Tin Co., the world's largest
producer of the metal, agreed to buy 5 percent of Australia's
Metallica Minerals Ltd. for A$5.9 million ($4.9 million).

Yunnan's Australian unit will buy 5.38 million shares at
A$1.10 apiece to help Metallica fund a development study for its
nickel project, Brisbane-based Metallica said in a statement to
the Australian Stock Exchange. The agreement needs regulatory
approval in the next two months.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Lehman Completes Its Biggest Sale of Bonds Backed by Japan's Real Estate

(Bloomberg) -- Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., which
holds more than $2 billion of debt, property and other assets in
Japan, sold 78.7 billion yen ($646 million) of bonds backed by
real estate in the nation, its biggest sale of such securities.

Lehman sold the bonds to Japanese banks and other investors,
said Mark Gabbay, the firm's managing director in Tokyo. The
bonds were split into 10 portions with different credit ratings
and maturities, he said.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

TREASURIES-Drift lower in Asia before jobs data

(Reuters) - Implied prospects for a single rate cut this year fell below
30 percent from 44 percent overnight. At the start of May, the
market had priced in between one and two quarter-percentage point
cuts by year-end.




Investors remained on their guard as they believed strong
figures in high-profile non-farm payrolls data would trigger more
bond selling, pushing the 10-year yields towards the
psychologically important 5 percent level, traders said.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

South Korea's Exports Increase 11.9 Percent in May, Faster Than Expected

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's exports rose more than
expected last month, stoked by sales of cars and mobile phones,
suggesting growth in Asia's third-largest economy may accelerate.

Exports climbed 11.9 percent in May from a year earlier
after surging 17.1 percent in April, the Ministry of Commerce,
Industry and Energy said today in Gwacheon, South Korea. That
beat the median estimate of 9 percent in a Bloomberg News survey
of 11 economists.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

U.S. Two-Year Notes Poised for Sixth Weekly Loss; New Jobs May Increase

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. two-year Treasury notes headed
for their sixth straight weekly drop on speculation a jobs
report today will indicate the economy is quickening after a
first-quarter slowdown.

The notes fell as a rally in stocks and gains in consumer
confidence and business activity led traders to trim bets the
central bank will cut interest rates this year. A sixth weekly
loss would be the longest losing streak since 2005 for the notes,
among the most sensitive to Federal Reserve rates.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Japan Teachers' Society May Invest in Government Bonds as Yields Increase

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Teachers' Mutual Aid Co-
operative Society, which provides insurance services for its
members, may invest directly for the first time in Japanese
government bonds to capture rising yields.

The 42-year-old organization earned a 1.64 percent return
on its 650 billion yen ($5.4 billion) of bond and stock
investments, which are made through money managers, in the year
through March 2006. Assets grew to 690 billion yen in the last
fiscal year.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

ASM, Bayer, Fiat, France Telecom, H. Lundbeck: European Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in European markets. Prices are from the last close.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 advanced 0.8 percent to 396.74. The
Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index climbed 0.5 percent to 3933.16. The Euro
Stoxx 50 Index, a benchmark for the 13 nations using the euro,
increased 1 percent to 4512.65.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Mexico finmin has no precise tax reform timeline

(Reuters) - The government "still needs to work very closely with
Congress" on the tax reform plan, Carstens said.




He declined to comment on whether financial markets are
overly optimistic in their assessment that the government would
unveil its tax proposals "soon," as Mexican President Felipe
Calderon said on Tuesday.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Thailand's Economy May Grow at Slowest Pace in Two Years on Spending Drop

(Bloomberg) -- Thailand's economy probably grew at
the slowest pace in two years as consumers and companies curbed
spending amid worsening protests against the military-installed
government.

Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy expanded 3.7
percent in the three months ended March 31 from a year earlier,
according to the median estimate of 11 economists surveyed by
Bloomberg News. The economy grew 4.2 percent the previous period.
The report is due June 4 at 9:30 a.m. in Bangkok.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Brazil to mull forex steps after investment grade

(Reuters) - When credit rating agencies rate Brazil investment grade,
the inflows of dollars should grow, propping the national
currency up, he said.




Brazil's sovereign rating is just one notch below the key
grade and Wall Street banks forecast Brazil may join the
investment-grade club next year, although it could happen even
earlier.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 1-Pall Corp. quarterly earnings rise

(Reuters) - The company reported third-quarter profit of $67.1 million,
or 54 cents a share, compared with $25.2 million, or 20 cents a
share, a year earlier. Excluding items, it earned 53 cents a
share in the latest quarter.




Analysts had expected a profit of 43 cents per share,
before special items, according to Reuters Estimates.


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

UPDATE 1-Another FDA delay for Labopharm pain drug

(Reuters) - Labopharm said it received a second approvable letter from
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, signaling the medicine
would not be approved until certain conditions are met. The
company said it was possible the agency would require
additional data before the drug could be approved.




The FDA said Labopharm had not demonstrated the efficacy of
its once-daily formulation of tramadol because statistical
methods used to analyze data from clinical trials did not
adequately address missing data relating to those who dropped
out and did not complete the study, the company said.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Mitsui, Japan Shipping Shares Lead Rally, Cost Less Than Nikkei Average

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Japanese shipping lines
have soared 10 times more than the stock market this year. And
they're still cheap, says Toru Kitani, who is putting his money
where his mouth is.

``Growth in emerging markets is solid and demand is strong,
which is good for shipping lines,'' said Kitani, who oversees $3
billion at Sompo Japan Asset Management Co. in Tokyo and owns
``slightly more'' of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. than in his
benchmark.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

RPT-TREASURIES-Strong economic data lift yields before jobs data

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 31 - U.S. government bond prices
slipped on Thursday, after robust economic data on the eve of
the government's employment report further curbed expectations
of an interest rate cut by year-end.




For a time, it looked as if bonds would suffer a sharper
loss, but prices found support at technical levels and that,
combined with some month-end buying, lifted prices from their
lows, analysts said.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

KV Pharma fourth-quarter net revenue rises

(Reuters) - KV Pharma said it will report complete financial results
after it completes a review into its stock option award
practices.





Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Soybeans Fall From 35-Month High as Rain May Aid Development of U.S. Crop

(Bloomberg) -- Soybean futures in Chicago fell from
a 35-month high on speculation rains may reach dry fields from
Illinois to Ohio, improving seed germination and early
development of the second-biggest U.S. crop.

Midday updates from the National Weather Service indicated
some fields east of the Mississippi River, which received less
than 25 percent of normal rain in May, will get as much as
1.25 inches (3.2 centimeters) in two separate storms in the next
10 days, said Fred Gesser, senior global meteorologist for
Planalytics Inc. in Wayne, Pennsylvania.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

COMSYS IT to acquire Plum Rhino Consulting

(Reuters) - COMSYS said the deal is expected to add slightly to
earnings in 2007 and future years.





Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Peruvian Stocks Rebound, Gaining Most in 13 Years: World's Biggest Mover

(Bloomberg) -- Peru's main stock index rose the most in
more than 13 years as investors bet a selloff left some shares
cheap, given the prospect for profits driven by increased consumer
spending and high commodity prices.

The Lima General Index climbed 1537.42, or 8.3 percent, to
20,081.24, as of 3:05 p.m. New York time, its steepest gain since
November 1993 and the biggest move among global benchmarks.
Mexico's stock index rose to a record for a second day, led by
copper miner Grupo Mexico SAB and cement-maker Cemex SAB.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Wheat Rises to One-Month High as Rain Slows U.S. Harvest, Promotes Disease

(Bloomberg) -- Wheat in Chicago and Kansas City rose
to the highest in a month as wet weather in the U.S. southern
Great Plains slowed the harvest and damaged the winter crop.

Some fields from Texas to Kansas may receive as much as
three times the normal moisture in the next five days, T-Storm
Weather said. As much as four times the normal rain fell in the
region in the past 30 days, according to data from the National
Weather Service. Wet, warm weather promotes fungal diseases such
as leaf rust, reducing both yields and quality.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

JPMorgan quietly climbs subprime ladder

(Reuters) - "We don't do much in the subprime business -- at all," JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon told investors earlier this month at the company's annual meeting. "It will be a good business, by the way."




Indeed, the No. 3 U.S. bank, along with other Wall Street companies, has stepped into a void triggered by a meltdown in the market for lending money to homebuyers with weak credit.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 3-Brazil confident on world trade deal

(Reuters) - BRASILIA, May 31 - Senior officials from Brazil
and the United States, adversaries in trade talks, voiced
optimism on Thursday that negotiations on a global trade deal
were gathering momentum despite remaining divisions.




Brazil's foreign minister said he was "rather confident" a
accord could be reached in coming weeks and said his country
was prepared to improve a tariff offer on manufactured goods.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 1-Columbia University reaches student loan settlement

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 31 - Columbia University on Thursday
reached a settlement with New York State's attorney general over
student loan practices that will require the school to pay $1.1
million into an educational fund and submit to financial aid
monitoring procedures.




Columbia and the financial aid officers' national association
also have agreed to abide by New York's code of conduct for
lending practices, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Mexican government says has no tax deal date

(Reuters) - "We don't know what date it might be," he told reporters.
"These are terms and dates the legislators themselves are also
working on. We are working on it."




Investor optimism about the anticipated tax review has
helped drive Mexican debt, currency and stock markets sharply
upward in recent days.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Dollar Heads for Best Month Versus Euro in More Than Year on U.S. Economy

(Bloomberg) -- The dollar headed for its biggest
monthly gain versus the euro in more than a year as signs of
economic strength reduced the likelihood of cuts in interest
rates this year by the Federal Reserve.

The U.S. currency rebounded from an all-time low in May on
reports showing gains in new home sales and manufacturing. The
central bank said in minutes of its May 9 meeting released
yesterday that it still expects a pickup in the economy this
year and views inflation as its main concern.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Morgan Stanley Sells CLO to Finance Nicaraguan Potters, Peru Shopkeepers

(Bloomberg) -- Morgan Stanley sold a $110 million
collateralized loan obligation that will help finance small
businesses in developing economies from Nicaraguan potters to
Peruvian shopkeepers.

The securities, which package loans and use the income to
pay investors, were bought by about 21 banks, hedge funds
insurance companies, money managers and mutual funds, Morgan
Stanley said today.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

UPDATE 1-UAW says Delphi talks continue, no timeline

(Reuters) - MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich., May 31 - The United Auto
Workers union remains in talks with parts supplier Delphi Corp.
on the terms for a labor agreement that would allow
the company to emerge from bankruptcy, UAW President Ron
Gettelfinger said on Thursday.




Gettelfinger declined to say whether the two sides had
moved any closer after the UAW submitted a counter-proposal to
Delphi and its former parent, General Motors Corp.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Circuit City to trim HQ jobs, shift store staff

(Reuters) - "The number of managers in the store will be based on store volume," the spokesman said. "We will be eliminating some positions and creating other positions. At the end of the day the number of people working in our stores will be about the same."




However, 200 jobs will be eliminated from the 3,100 at its Richmond, Virginia, headquarters, due to cost cutting. The company has about 46,000 employees in all.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Dendreon, Jo-Ann Stores, Navteq, Red Hat, Stifel: U.S. Equity Movers

(Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies
whose shares are having unusual price changes in U.S. exchanges
today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company names.
Share prices are as of 11:40 a.m. New York time.

A.G. Edwards Inc. (AGE US) jumped $10.55, or 14 percent, to
$87.70 and traded as high as $90.44. Wachovia Corp. (WB US), the
fourth-largest U.S. bank, agreed to buy the biggest full-service
brokerage based outside New York for about $6.8 billion in cash
and stock. The $89.50-a-share price tag is about 16 percent more
than A.G. Edwards's last close.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

CVS Caremark May same-store sales rise

(Reuters) - Same-store sales do not include the drugstores acquired on
June 2, 2006, which will be included in same store sales after
the one-year anniversary of the acquisition, CVS Caremark said
in a statement.





Read more at Reuters.com Market News

PAI withdraws from Altadis bid, CVC goes it alone

(Reuters) - CVC and PAI made a 50 euros a share preliminary bid for
Altadis on May 4, valuing the maker of Gauloises cigarettes at
12.8 billion euros .




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

TREASURIES-Yields at 9-month high after strong data

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 31 - U.S. government bond prices
fell on Thursday, pushing benchmark yields to an August high,
after robust economic data further diminished hope of an
official interest rate cut by the end of the year.




The 10-year note's yield rose above 4.91 percent to its
highest level in nine months after a strong reading of Midwest
business activity.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Five Major Hurricanes May Form in Atlantic, University Forecasters Predict

(Bloomberg) -- Colorado State University forecasters
said five major hurricanes will form this season, and there's a
74 percent chance a storm will make landfall in the U.S.

The forecast released today reiterates the team's April
prediction for above-average tropical activity during the
Atlantic season, which officially starts tomorrow. Ten storms and
six hurricanes have formed, on average, during the June-November
season over the last 50 years.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

S.Africa April trade deficit widens to 5.7 bln rand

(Reuters) - South Africa's trade balance drifted further into deficit in April, recording a shortfall of 5.67 billion rand from a 2.7 billion rand gap in March, the South Africa Revenue Service said on Thursday.

The data follows two months of relatively small deficits and will keep pressure on the country's current account, which hit a shortfall of 7.8 percent of gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of 2006.


Read more at Reuters Africa

U.S. construction spending rose 0.1 pct in April

(Reuters) - Spending in March was revised up to a 0.6 percent gain from
a previous 0.2 percent advance, according to the U.S. Commerce
Department.




Construction spending in April was down 2 percent from the
same time a year ago.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

Crude Oil Is Little Changed After Unexpected Decline in U.S. Stockpiles

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil was little changed after a
government report showed an unexpected decline in U.S.
inventories.

Supplies of crude oil fell 1.96 million barrels to 342.2
million barrels in the week ended May 25, the Energy Department
reported. A gain of 1 million barrels was expected, according to
the median of 15 responses in a Bloomberg News survey.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Polish Economy Expanded at Fastest Rate in 10 Years in the First Quarter

(Bloomberg) -- The Polish economy accelerated at the
fastest pace since 1997 as rising demand for homes and consumer
goods fueled investment by companies while growth in the
European Union fed exports.

The economy grew an annual 7.4 percent in the first quarter
after expanding 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006,
exceeding the median estimate of 18 economists surveyed by
Bloomberg on May 9-31 of 7.3 percent. First-quarter growth in
the 13 countries that use the euro was 3.1 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Crude Oil Declines on Speculation Gasoline Inventories May Gain in U.S.

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fell before a government
report that's expected to show U.S. gasoline inventories climbed
for a fourth week.

Gasoline stockpiles increased 1.5 million barrels in the
week ended May 25, according to the median of responses by 15
analysts before today's Energy Department report. Gasoline
stockpiles increased 3.6 million barrels in the three weeks ended
May 18. Refiners typically boost motor-fuel output before the
peak-demand summer-driving season, which began last weekend.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Malaysia Stocks Have Record Winning Streak on Ringgit, Palm Oil, Economy

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia stocks, Southeast Asia's
most expensive, are the only ones in Asia that have risen for 11
straight months. The rally may have further to run as rising
government spending and wages lift earnings.

``We're a lot more bullish than some people on Malaysia,''
said Hugh Young, who oversees $35 billion as managing director
at Aberdeen Asset Asia Ltd. in Singapore. ``The market may not
be cheap, but we're bullish on what's happening in that
market.'' The firm this year added to its stake in Bumiputra-
Commerce Holdings Bhd., Malaysia's second-biggest bank, and owns
stock in British American Tobacco Bhd., the nation's biggest
cigarette maker.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

German Unemployment Holds at Six-Year Low as Economic Growth Fuels Hiring

(Bloomberg) -- Germany's unemployment rate held at a
six-year low in May as growth in Europe's largest economy
encouraged companies to invest and hire.

The jobless rate, adjusted for seasonal swings, stayed at
9.2 percent for the third straight month, the Nuremberg-based
Federal Labor Agency said today. The adjusted number of people
out of work rose 3,000 to 3.86 million. Economists expected a
drop of 20,000, according to the median of 38 forecasts in a
Bloomberg News survey.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

First-quarter growth weakest in over 4 years

(Reuters) - The Commerce Department revised down its estimate for first-quarter expansion in gross domestic product, or GDP, to 0.6 percent from 1.3 percent that it estimated a month ago.




It was the slowest rate of quarterly growth since the fourth quarter of 2002 when the economy edged ahead at a 0.2 percent rate and was below Wall Street economists' forecasts for a 0.8 percent quarterly growth rate.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

Sears Holdings posts higher quarterly profit

(Reuters) - The Hoffman Estates, Illinois, retailer said earnings came to $216 million, or $1.40 a share, for the first quarter ended May 5, compared with $180 million, or $1.14 a share, a year earlier.



)


Read more at Reuters.com Market News

N.Hydro Q1 beats forecasts, helped by strong metal

(Reuters) - Operating profits at the oil, gas and aluminium producer
fell to 14.82 billion crowns in January-March
from 16.87 billion in the same quarter a year earlier.




The result beat an average forecast of 13.56 billion crowns
in a Reuters poll of 11 analysts whose estimates had ranged from
12.55 billion to 15.0 billion crowns.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

U.K. FTSE 100 Index Advances, Led by Johnson Matthey, HBOS, BHP Billiton

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks advanced, led by
Johnson Matthey Plc and HBOS Plc on broker recommendations.

BHP Billiton paced a rise in share of mining
companies. The world's largest mining company promoted
Marius Kloppers to chief executive officer, succeeding
Charles ``Chip'' Goodyear.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

US STOCKS-Futures edge up after Wachovia deal; GDP ahead

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 31 - U.S. stock futures rose on
Thursday after banking company Wachovia Corp. . After the initial 1.3 percent estimated rise,
economists on average expect the annual growth rate to be put
even lower at 0.8 percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Coke, Cargill team up on new sweetener: report

(Reuters) - Neither company specified development costs for rebiana, according to the report.




Coke did not immediately return a call seeking comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

European Stocks Climb to 6 1/2-Year High; Nokia, BHP, E.ON Pace the Gains

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rallied, sending the
Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index to the highest since September 2000,
after E.ON AG said it will buy back $9.4 billion in shares and
Belgian billionaire Albert Frere bought a stake in Iberdrola SA.

E.ON and Iberdrola led utility shares to an all-time high.
Scottish & Southern Energy Plc rose after earnings beat analysts'
estimates. ASML Holding NV climbed the most in six weeks on plans
to pay cash to shareholders. BHP Billiton Ltd. paced a rebound in
mining stocks as copper advanced and the company named a new
chief executive officer.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Crude Oil Declines on Expectations U.S. Will Report Gasoline Supply Rising

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fell before a report that's
expected to show U.S. gasoline supplies rose for a fourth week.

An Energy Department report today will probably show U.S.
gasoline stockpiles, which remain below their average levels,
gained 1.5 million barrels last week, while oil supplies rose for a
sixth week, according to a Bloomberg News survey of analysts.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

FTSE gains 0.6% early, helped by miners, realtors

(Reuters) - Britain's top share index rose on Thursday, helped by miners and real estate companies, and tracking gains in the United States where Federal Reserve minutes helped stocks recover from weakness sparked by a Chinese tax move.

At 0810 GMT, Britain's FTSE was up 0.7 percent, with mining stocks accounting for nearly a third of the index's gains.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Mr Price lifts year earnings by 27 pct

(Reuters) - South African fashion and homeware retailer Mr Price increased full-year diluted headline earnings by 27 percent to 183.6 cents per share, the company reported on Thursday, and said it had set new revenue and operating margin targets.

Revenue from continuing operations rose 24 percent to 6.1 billion rand.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Australian Dollar Gains Most in 11 Months as Global Stock Markets Rebound

(Bloomberg) -- The Australian dollar had the biggest
gain in 11 months as record U.S. stocks gave investors confidence
to buy higher-yielding assets.

The currency traded at a 15-year high against the yen,
headed for a third monthly advance, as investors borrowed at
Japan's low interest rates to buy Australian assets in so-called
carry trades. Rising equities in Asia and Europe may encourage
investors to take on more risk after yesterday's slump in China.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Dollar steady as U.S. data awaited for Fed clues

(Reuters) - Revised U.S. data on first-quarter growth at 1230 GMT is forecast to show a downward revision from the initial estimate, but the May non-farm payrolls report on Friday is expected to show a rise, while a snapshot of manufacturing activity, also due on Friday, is seen holding up well in May.




The dollar has clawed back from a record low hit against the euro in April and a 26-year low against the pound as worries about the U.S. economy's health have eased, reducing speculation of lower rates that would erode the greenback's yield appeal.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Circuit City plans more job cuts: report

(Reuters) - Another 200 jobs will be eliminated at its Richmond, Virginia headquarters.




Circuit City did not immediately return a call seeking comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Computer Sciences discovers accounting errors

(Reuters) - The company discovered the errors in its accounting for fiscal years 2000 through 2006. The charges it expects to take cover the period through March 31, 2006, the company said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.



The amount does not include a cumulative charge of about $60 million through March 31, 2006 related to a stock option investigation that it said it previously disclosed and recorded.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Applebee's May same-store sales drop 2.1 percent

(Reuters) - The Overland Park, Kansas, company, which has been trying
to turn around its casual bar-and-grill chain, operates nearly
2,000 restaurants worldwide.




Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Dutch panel urges stricter shareholder disclosure

(Reuters) - Those owning stakes of 3 percent or more of a Dutch
company's shares should report their holdings to the Dutch
market regulator AFM, instead of the current reporting
requirement of 5 percent, the Monitoring Commission on the
Corporate Governance Code said in a statement.




The commission also recommended that the code be revised so
that stakeholders must hold at least 3 percent of a Dutch
company's shares in order to have the right to put items up for
a vote at shareholders' meetings. The current threshold is 1
percent.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

TREASURIES-Most prices flat as stocks gain

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 30 - U.S. government bond prices
were flat to slightly higher on Wednesday, having erased nearly
all their initial gains as stocks reversed early losses and
moved higher.




In early morning trade, a safe-haven bid for Treasuries
emerged after Chinese stocks tumbled 6 percent and traders got
a report pointing to soft U.S. private sector job growth.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Bank of Communications, Sime Darby, Tata: Asia Ex-Japan Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in Asian markets, excluding Japan. This preview includes news
that broke after markets closed. Prices are from the local
market's last close. Stock symbols are in parentheses after
company names.

Markets in Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand are shut for a
public holiday.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

US taxable mkt funds report $3.5 bln outflow-report

(Reuters) - Average seven-day yields for taxable money funds were
unchanged at 4.72 percent, while tax-exempt yields fell 2 basis
points to 3.25 percent.




Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

CORRECTED: Dollar edges up vs euro ahead of Fed minutes

(Reuters) - NEW YORK - The dollar climbed to a seven-week high against the euro on Wednesday as investors prepared for the release of meeting minutes from the Federal Reserve that will likely show inflation remains a top concern.




The dollar is on track for its biggest monthly rise this month since at least February 2006, after declining steadily all year, thanks to slashed expectations for a cut in U.S. interest rates.


Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Treasuries Are Little Changed as Fed Forecasts Moderate Pace of Spending

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Treasuries were little changed
after minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent meeting
revealed that policy makers forecast that consumer spending will
grow at a ``more moderate pace.''

The yield on the benchmark 10-year note fell 2 basis points,
or 0.02 percentage point, to 4.86 percent at 2:080 p.m. in New
York, according to bond broker Cantor Fitzgerald LP. The price of
the 4 1/2 percent security due May 2017 gained 1/8, or $1.25 per
$1,000 face amount, to 97 1/8. Bond yields move inversely to
prices.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Enpath's acquisition by Greatbatch clears antitrust hurdle

(Reuters) - Greatbatch expects to close the transaction in late June.





Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

US STOCKS-Indexes up as M&A talk, buybacks mute China worry

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 30 - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday
as optimism about prospects for more takeovers, share
repurchases and continued economic growth offset worries about
a sell-off in China's stock market.




Stocks may get direction from the Federal Reserve's
minutes from its May 9 interest-rate policy meeting, expected
at 2 p.m. . Investors will be looking for clues on
whether the Fed will cut rates later this year or hold rates
steady.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Treasuries Are Little Changed After U.S. Stock Indexes Reverse Losses

(Bloomberg) -- Treasuries were little changed as U.S.
stock indexes rose, reversing earlier declines.

The benchmark 10-year note pared earlier gains as investors
sought the relative safety of government debt. A slump in Asian
and European stocks was triggered when China tripled a tax on
securities transactions to help slow investment.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Emerging-Market Bonds Fall as China's Slide Cuts Demand for Risky Assets

(Bloomberg) -- Emerging-market bonds fell after
China's tripling of a tax on securities transactions cut into
demand for high-risk, high-yielding assets.

Stocks in Asia, Europe and the U.S. fell, further weakening
demand for emerging-market securities, after China raised the
tax in a bid to cool the rally in the country's equities market.
Central bank officials, former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman
Alan Greenspan and Li Ka-shing, Asia's richest man, have all
warned of a looming rout in Chinese stocks since the start of
May.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

UPDATE 1-Venezuela to issue Southern Bond for up to $1 bln

(Reuters) - Venezuela has issued a total of $2.5 billion in Southern
Bonds since last year. The debt is a mix of Argentine and
Venezuelan paper, part of President Hugo Chavez's efforts to
boost economic ties with other Latin American countries.




Finance Minister Rodrigo Cabezas told reporters, "With
Argentina, the process is in discussion," saying it will be
from $500 million to $1 billion.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Alexander Forbes says buy-out offer increased

(Reuters) - South African financial services group Alexander Forbes said on Wednesday a private equity buyout offer for the firm had been increased to 17.26 rand per share.

The company will hold a shareholder meeting to discuss the bid by a group of private equity firms on June 18. The offer has been revised in terms of price, and to include a re-investment option, it said.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Gold, Silver Futures Fall on Outlook U.S. Interest Rates Won't Drop Soon

(Bloomberg) -- Gold and silver prices fell in New
York on speculation the U.S. Federal Reserve won't cut interest
rates anytime soon, strengthening the dollar and reducing the
appeal of precious metals as alternative investments.

Gold generally moves in the opposite direction of the
dollar, which has risen 1.6 percent against a basket of six major
currencies after falling on May 1 to the lowest level this year.
Gold reached an 11-month high on April 20, before shedding as
much as 6.7 percent by May 24. Before today, the metal had risen
4 percent this year.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Not in My Break, Dude: British Surfers Oppose Offshore Wave Energy Project

(Bloomberg) -- Champion surfer Ben Skinner casts his
eye along Perran Beach, southwest England, and, between bites of
a bacon and egg roll, contemplates the loss of his beloved waves.

Skinner, 22, is worried about the ``Wave Hub,'' a 28 million
pound ($56 million) energy project that he says may spoil the
swells on the Cornwall coast where he's honed his skills.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

TREASURIES-Bond prices rise as Asian stocks tumble

(Reuters) - "This appears to be a bit of a flight-to-quality bid based
on the Chinese announcement and the stamp duty that has been
imposed. We see a bit of an overreaction in the European stock
and bond markets, which will probably spill over into the U.S.
markets," said Walter Gerasimowicz, chief executive of Meditron
Asset Management, a wealth-management firm in New York.




The rise in bond prices follows a three-week selloff in
which investors have plowed money into corporate bonds, stocks
and other riskier assets in search of higher returns. Fading
expectations of an interest-rate cut from the Federal Reserve
this year have also pressured Treasuries.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

Palmer Quits as HSBC Capital Markets Head as Banking Push Fails to Deliver

(Bloomberg) -- Daniel Palmer, global head of capital
markets at HSBC Holdings Plc, resigned after three years with
Europe's biggest bank during which time its ranking in managing
stock sales slipped.

Under Palmer, HSBC fell to 19th globally last year in
underwriting equity and equity-linked sales from 14th in 2005,
according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The London-based bank was
the ninth-placed arranger of global bond sales last year, from
12th a year earlier. HSBC hired Palmer, 41, from Morgan Stanley.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Oil holds at $68 ahead of expected US stock builds

(Reuters) - Oil prices held at $68 a barrel on Wednesday in London ahead of U.S. inventory data expected to show rising crude and fuel stocks.

London Brent crude traded up 14 cents at $68.27 a barrel by 0300 GMT, after tumbling $1.58 on Tuesday on U.S. refinery restarts and easing concerns over Nigerian shipments.


Read more at Reuters Africa

FTSE down after China tax hike; Glaxo weighs

(Reuters) - The FTSE 100 index of Britain's leading shares dipped 0.7 percent on Wednesday following a more than 6 percent slump in Chinese shares after China tripled a share-trading tax in a bid to cool its red-hot market.

At 0737 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 47.0 points to 6,559.5, mirroring falls seen on Asian markets.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Cell C says Q1 loss almost doubles

(Reuters) - South Africa's third-ranked mobile firm, Cell C, said its first-quarter net loss almost doubled as a weaker rand inflated its debt servicing costs, even while it boosted revenues and increased subscribers.

Chief Financial Officer Muhieddine Ghalayini told Reuters on Wednesday the company's net loss widened to 369.5 million rand in the three months to end-March from a loss of 186.5 million rand in the year-ago period.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Russian Benchmark Stocks Fall for Third Day, Led by Gazprom Neft, Surgut

(Bloomberg) -- Russian stocks fell for a third day
after a drop in Chinese stocks and oil prices. OAO Gazprom Neft
and OAO Surgutneftegaz led the retreat.

The ruble-denominated Micex Index declined 1.3 percent to
1504.72 at 1:14 p.m. in Moscow, heading for its lowest close this
year. Four stocks advanced, 25 retreated and one was unchanged.
The dollar-denominated RTS Index dropped 1.2 percent to 1716.74.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

UK's NICE endorses quit-smoking drug from Pfizer

(Reuters) - Champix, the first new prescription product for smoking
cessation, targets the specific receptor to which nicotine
binds, thereby reducing the severity of the smoker's urge to
smoke.




The medicine is sold as Chantix in the United States. It was
approved as safe and effective by European and U.S. regulators
last year.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Japanese Yen May Decline on Drop in Abe's Popularity, Sumitomo Bank Says

(Bloomberg) -- The yen may drop 2.8 percent against
the euro before July 22 parliamentary elections as Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe's popularity slumps, said Daisuke Uno, a strategist at
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.

A scandal over Japanese government contracts may have caused
two suicides, including the death of Agriculture Minister
Toshikatsu Matsuoka, and is threatening public support for Abe.
The yen has plunged 9 percent against the euro since the prime
minister took office on Sept. 26.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

CBS buys online music network Last.fm for $280 mln

(Reuters) - CBS said in a statement the online service had more than 15 million active users in more than 200 countries. The Last.fm team will continue to run the online network under the terms of the deal.



) Keywords: CBS LASTFM/


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Platinum Rises for First Time in Five Sessions in London; Palladium Drops

(Bloomberg) -- Platinum rose for the first time in five
sessions in London as industrial buyers deemed that a drop to the
lowest in eight weeks yesterday was exaggerated. Palladium fell.

Platinum, used in jewelry and car exhaust systems, fell to
$1,253.75 an ounce yesterday, the lowest since April 10, partly
on fading prospects for investment demand to soak up increased
supplies of the metal. Prices have dropped 3.1 percent since
securities backed by platinum were introduced on April 24 on the
London Stock Exchange followed by the SWX Swiss Exchange. The
metal rose to a record $1,402.50 an ounce in November on
speculation the so-called ETFs would put a squeeze on supply.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

European Government Bonds Gain as Stock Losses Spur Demand for Safe Assets

(Bloomberg) -- European two-year notes advanced,
snapping a three-day losing streak, as investors turned to the
safest assets after a slide in China's stock market pushed Asian
and European equity markets lower.

Benchmark two-year note yields slipped from their highest in
five years after the Chinese government's lifting of a tax on
share trading sent the country's CSI 300 Index of shares to its
biggest loss in three months. Asian equity markets fell, and
national benchmarks all 17 western European markets followed.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

U.S. private sector adds 97,000 jobs in May-report

(Reuters) - The consensus estimate of 20 economists surveyed by Reuters
was for the ADP report to show 120,000 private sector jobs
created in May.




Macroeconomic Advisers said it revised down by 3,000 to
61,000 the number of jobs created in April.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

Nokia says row with Qualcomm may hurt 3G uptake

(Reuters) - Nokia, which makes more than one in three of the cell phones sold globally, is mired in a legal dispute over patents with U.S. mobile phone chip maker Qualcomm Inc. after part of a major cross-licensing agreement expired last month.




The legal dispute centers on Nokia's use of Qualcomm patents for 3G, but it also has a bearing on Qualcomm's chips business, which according to Nokia uses many Nokia-patented technologies.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Rand steady, eyes stocks, GDP data

(Reuters) - South Africa's rand was steady on Tuesday and could test firmer levels as the market looks to domestic economic growth data and the return of major U.S. and European trade after Monday's holiday.

The local currency traded at 7.0975 to the dollar at 0630 GMT, little changed from the previous close of 7.10, and at around 9.53 against the euro.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Indian Rupee Near Nine-Year High as Pace of Growth May Boost Capital Flows

(Bloomberg) -- India's rupee traded near the highest
in nine years on speculation the size of capital inflows will
outweigh the central bank's efforts to stem the currency's rise.

The Reserve Bank of India has allowed the rupee to rise 7.5
percent this quarter to fight inflation. Traders yesterday said
the central bank was buying dollars to slow the currency's gains
as it makes exported goods more expensive overseas. India's
economic growth was the fastest in almost two decades in the
fiscal year ended March 31, drawing in a flood of foreign funds.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

North Sea Sullom Voe Oil Terminal Resumes Loading as Strong Winds Subside

(Bloomberg) -- The North Sea Sullom Voe terminal,
one of Europe's largest oil and gas facilities, resumed loading
operations after strong winds subsided, according to the
Shetland Islands Council.

The resumption, posted on the Shetland Islands Council Web
site at 9 p.m. local time yesterday, followed what was at least
the 22nd disruption this year.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

European Government Bonds May Drop on Economic Growth, ECB Rate Prospects

(Bloomberg) -- European government bonds may extend
declines on speculation strength in the 13-nation economy will
prompt the European Central Bank to raise interest rates further.

Benchmark two-year yields last week held near a five-year
high, falling for a third week, as investors added to bets the
European Central Bank will lift interest rates at least twice
more this year. The ECB earlier this month signaled it will raise
rates in June. Executive Board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said
May 24 low inflation is the ``best contribution'' central banks
can make to the economy.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Brazilian Breast Implant, `Butt-Lift' Bargains Entice Americans, Europeans

(Bloomberg) -- Brazil's Ivo Pitanguy is one of plastic
surgery's founding fathers. The surgeon, 80, has performed face-
lifts, breast enhancements and other operations on thousands of
patients. He has taught more than 600 cosmetic surgeons, who are
practicing in at least 43 countries, and is the inventor of
procedures reproduced around the globe, including techniques for
minimizing scarring, and the ``Brazilian butt-lift,'' in which
flesh is added to a patient's behind to make it rounder.

``Ivo Pitanguy created plastic surgery as we know it today,''
says Bryan Mendelson, president of the International Society of Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery, or ISAPS, a Hanover, New Hampshire-based organization
with 1,600 members in 90 countries. ``He removed some of the
taboos, popularized the practice, and his legacy will live on
through his students.''


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Indofood, World's Top Noodle Maker, Raises Prices as Wheat, Palmoil Surge

(Bloomberg) -- PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, the
world's biggest instant noodle maker, raised prices of the
staple for the first time in more than three years after wheat
and palm oil costs rose.

The company raised the prices by 50 rupiah (1 U.S. cent) on
all its noodle packs yesterday, Weryanti Setiawan, head of
investor relations at the company, said today. That raised the
price of the best-selling Indomie Rasa Kari Ayam by 5 percent to
1,050 rupiah, while Indomie Mi Goreng rose 5.5 percent to 950
rupiah.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

South Korea's Factory Production Probably Accelerated, Stoked by Exports

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's industrial output
probably expanded at the fastest pace in three months in April,
stoked by increased overseas shipments.

Manufacturing production advanced 1 percent from March,
when it fell 0.4 percent, according to the median estimate in a
Bloomberg News survey of 11 economists. The National Statistical
Office will release the report tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. in Seoul.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Panama economy grew 8 pct in Q1 - govt

(Reuters) - January-March growth was at the top end of a recent
government forecast.




Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

Japan Stocks Climb, Led by Banks on Spending, Jobs Data; Shipowners Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks rose after reports
showed the nation's jobless rate unexpectedly fell to a nine-
year low and households increased spending for a fourth month in
April.

Lenders such as Mizuho Financial Group Inc. gained on
speculation the improving economic data will allow the Bank of
Japan to raise borrowing costs and lenders to increase their
profit margins.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Japan's Topix Index Rises; Mizuho Financial, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Lead Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Topix index rose 5.45, or 0.3
percent, to 1729.83 at 9:54 a.m. in Tokyo after falling as much
as 0.3 percent. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average was little changed
at 17,585.70.

Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd.
led the advance.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

South Korea's Kospi Index Rises, Led by LG.Philips and Shinhan Financial

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's benchmark stock index,
the Kospi Index, rose 0.14 percent at 9:05 a.m.

The index of 732 companies traded on the Korea Exchange rose
2.34 to 1,660.25. Among the stocks in the index, 396 rose, 145
fell and 190 were unchanged.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

UPDATE 1-Pogo Producing to sell Northrock for $2 billion

(Reuters) - Northrock, which includes properties located largely in
Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories of Canada,
produces about 29,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It had
about 706 estimated proven reserves as of December 31.




The deal is expected to close in the third quarter. Pogo
said Goldman Sachs Group and TD Securities Inc. would continue
to serve as its financial advisers as it explores other
strategic options.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Pogo Producing to sell Northrock for $2 billion

(Reuters) - The deal is expected to close in the third quarter. Pogo said Goldman Sachs Group and TD Securities Inc. would continue to serve as its financial advisers as it explores other strategic options.




Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Venezuela's Bolivar Weakens as TV Network Shutdown Sparks Street Protests

(Bloomberg) -- Venezuela's currency fell from a two-
week high in unregulated markets after President Hugo Chavez's
shutdown of the country's most-watched TV network triggered
street protests.

``Things took a swift turn in the afternoon when street
protests increased,'' said Nelson Corrie, head of trading at
Caracas-based Interacciones Mercado de Capitales.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Corn, Soybeans May Rise in Chicago as Dry Weather Threatens U.S. Crops

(Bloomberg) -- Corn may rise for a third straight
week in Chicago and soybeans may reach a three-year high on
speculation that hot, dry weather from Illinois to Georgia will
damage the two biggest U.S. crops.

Thirteen of 25 traders, farm advisers and merchants
surveyed on May 25 recommended buying both commodities. The rest
said to sell, noting that some forecasters are calling for more
rain. Corn futures for July delivery rose 1.3 percent last week
to $3.76 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soybeans for
July delivery rose 2.5 percent to $8.125 a bushel, the highest
weekly close since June 2004.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

CORRECTED-UPDATE 1-Bush should be open to climate deal - Pelosi

(Reuters) - BERLIN, May 28 - U.S. House of Representatives
Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged President George W. Bush on Monday to
forge a compromise with other G8 countries on plans to fight
climate change at a summit in Germany next week.




The head of the opposition Democrats said she and a
bipartisan delegation of congressional leaders had visited
Greenland and seen how global warming was threatening the
livelihood of people who were not to blame.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

S.African stocks up, boosted by Telkom

(Reuters) - South African stocks closed marginally higher on Monday, with fixed line telecommunications firm Telkom one of the biggest gainers among the blue-chip top 40 stocks.

"Trade has been dull today, with volumes extremely light because of UK and U.S. public holidays, which just shows how involved foreigners are in our market," a Johannesburg-based trader said.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Canada Liberals demand pause in foreign takeovers

(Reuters) - Ottawa should "hold back decisions on major foreign
acquisitions and any changes to foreign ownership rules until
after this process has been completed," Dion said in a
statement.




The proposal comes amid concern that several big Canadian
companies were being taken out of local hands.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

French Stocks Including Michelin Gain; Total and Technip Decline With Oil

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks including Michelin &
Cie. and Cie. de Saint-Gobain advanced after crude oil fell in
New York. Total SA and Technip SA declined.

The CAC 40 Index was little changed at 6057.40 at 3:24 p.m.
in Paris. The SBF 120 Index also was little changed.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Rupee Rises to Nine-Year High on Speculation Global Funds to Buy Shares

(Bloomberg) -- India's rupee advanced to a nine-year
high on speculation overseas investors will buy stocks of local
companies offering shares in the coming weeks.

The currency rose for a second day, breaching 40.50 for the
first time since May 1998, as global funds bought $3.7 billion
more of Indian stocks than they sold this year as of May 24,
surpassing $2.9 billion of purchases in the same period last year,
according to data compiled by Bloomberg. DLF Ltd., a New Delhi-
based real-estate developer, plans to sell as much as $2.4 billion
of shares through an initial public offering starting June 11.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

French Stocks Including Michelin Gain as Oil Drops; Gaz de France Declines

(Bloomberg) -- French stocks including Michelin &
Cie. and Cie. de Saint-Gobain advanced after crude oil fell in
New York. Gaz de France SA declined.

The CAC 40 Index slipped 3.33, or 0.1 percent, to 6054.16 at
12:19 p.m. in Paris. The SBF 120 Index was little changed.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Israeli Shahar Bond Advances on Expectations Bank Will Cut Key Rate Today

(Bloomberg) -- Israel's benchmark Shahar bond gained
for a second day on speculation the Bank of Israel will cut
interest rates today in order to lift inflation to the government
target range of between 1 percent to 3 percent.

The central bank has lowered its key lending rate 1.75
percent since the end of October to 3.75 percent as it seeks to
weaken the shekel. The shekel has appreciated 4 percent so far in
the second quarter from the first three months of the year,
spurring higher prices for housing and other dollar-linked items.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Malaysia oil pipeline project moves toward reality

(Reuters) - The 310 km pipeline aims to cut time and costs
by bypassing the crowded Malacca Strait, but observers have
been skeptical as similar ventures for a Southeast Asian
shipping short-cut over the past few decades have failed to
materialize.




Compounding these doubts is the fact that the pipeline
project is being developed by a small, loss-making company
owned by two little-known Malaysian businessmen.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Nordic Shares Climb, Paced by Swedish Match and Volvo; Shares of OMX Rise

(Bloomberg) -- Nordic stocks rose, led by Swedish
Match AB, the world's second-largest maker of smokeless tobacco
products, and Volvo AB, Europe's second-largest truckmaker.

OMX AB gained after the Sunday Times reported the Nordic
region's biggest stock exchange operator may receive a counterbid
from Dubai.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Oman Oil to Boost Qarn Alam Field Oil, Gas Output Through Steam Injection

(Bloomberg) -- Petroleum Development Oman, a state-
owned company in which Royal Dutch Shell Plc is the largest
foreign investor, signed two agreements to increase output from
the aging Qarn Alam oil and gas field through steam injection.

Dodsal Group, an Indian construction company based in the
United Arab Emirates, will drill 150 wells and build a water
treatment plant at Qarn Alam, Petroleum Development Oman said in
a statement late yesterday.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Alcatel-Lucent, Camaieu, M6, Scor Shares May Move: French Stock Preview

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of the following companies may
rise or fall on the Paris stock exchange today. Symbols are in
parentheses after company names and prices are from the last
close.

June futures on the CAC 40 Index climbed 14.5 to 6050 at 8
a.m. in Paris.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Tata Tea's Shares Surge After Sale of Stake in Glaceau for $1.2 Billion

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Tata Tea Ltd., a unit of
India's biggest business group, rose to a 15-month high after it
agreed to sell its stake in Energy Brands Inc. to Coca-Cola Co.
for $1.2 billion.

Tata Tea made a profit of $523 million from the sale of its
30 percent stake in Energy Brands, Vice Chairman R.K. Krishna
Kumar said on May 25. The Kolkata-based company paid $677
million for its stake in Energy Brands, known as Glaceau, in
August.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Anglo American, Eland Platinum, Standard Bank: South African Stock Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall
in South Africa. Symbols are in parentheses and prices are from
the last close.

The FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index lost 207.25, or 0.7
percent, to 28,605.69 in Johannesburg as 104 stocks fell, 34
rose and 22 were unchanged.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Asia Oil-Product Tanker Rates Trade Near Four-Month High on Korean Exports

(Bloomberg) -- The cost of shipping gasoline and
other so-called clean petroleum products in Asia remained close
to a four-month high as South Korean exports boost demand.

Rates to carry 30,000 tons of fuel on the benchmark route
from Singapore to Japan have gained 49 percent to Worldscale
253.64 from March 11, when they were at the lowest this year,
according to London's Baltic Exchange. Rates reached Worldscale
257.27 on May 17, the highest since Jan. 16.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

South Korean Won Drops After North's Short-Range Missile Test Conducted

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's won fell after North
Korea test-fired missiles late on May 25 as part of routine annual
exercises, fueling concern tensions in the region may increase.

The short-range missiles were launched after the close of won
trading last week. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his
country's patience ``isn't limitless'' and retains the option of
further sanctions against the communist nation. The won slid 1.5
percent on Oct. 9 after the North tested its first nuclear bomb.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

South Korea's Kospi Rises to Record; Posco, Steelmakers Lead the Advance

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks advanced to a
record. Posco gained after Meritz Securities Co. raised its
price estimate for some steelmakers, saying regional prices for
the alloy are expected to climb following increases in China.

Samsung Electronics Co. fell after U.S. existing-home sales
unexpectedly dropped, heightening concern a housing slump will
damp consumer spending in the world's biggest economy.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

South Korean Won Declines After North's Short-Range Missile Test Last Week

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's won fell after North
Korea test-fired missiles late on May 25 as part of routine annual
exercises, fueling concern tensions in the region may increase.

The short-range missiles were launched after the close of won
trading last week. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his
country's patience ``isn't limitless'' and retains the option of
further sanctions against the communist nation. The won slid 1.5
percent on Oct. 9 after the North tested its first nuclear bomb.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Australia's James Hardie yr operating profit up 6%

(Reuters) - Hardie said in March it expected to hit analysts' full-year
forecasts of between $201 million and $231 million, despite a
10 percent fall in third-quarter profit due to a slowing U.S.
housing sector.




Shares in Hardie, which makes most of its revenues in North
America, closed up 2.2. percent at A$8.94 on Friday following
stronger-than-expected U.S. house sales data that signalled a
slowdown in housing may have bottomed out.



Read more at Reuters.com Market News

Exporters, Oil-Related Companies, KT&G Corp.: South Korea Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following shares may rise or fall
in South Korea. Prices refer to the May 25 close. This preview
includes news announced after markets shut. Stock symbols are in
brackets after the company names.

The Kospi index fell 0.1 percent to 1644.56. The Kosdaq rose
0.4 percent to 719.54. Kospi 200 futures expiring in June dropped
0.2 percent to 210.90, while the underlying index fell 0.3 percent
to 210.54.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

New Zealand Dollar May Fall as Consumer Confidence Declines a Third Month

(Bloomberg) -- The New Zealand dollar may fall on
speculation declining consumer and business confidence may curb
domestic demand, ensuring interest rates will be unchanged next week.

Consumer confidence fell for a third month in May, according to
a poll conducted for Television New Zealand published today.
Business confidence fell for a second month in April, according to
ANZ National Bank Ltd., which releases this month's survey May 31.
The currency has gained 3.1 percent this year as the Reserve Bank of
New Zealand raised interest rates twice to a record 7.75 percent to
curb consumer spending and housing demand.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Nigeria hikes local pump prices before handover

(Reuters) - The Nigerian government unexpectedly raised the pump price of fuel by 15 percent to 75 naira per litre on Sunday, an unpopular move that comes just three days before President Olusegun Obasanjo steps down.

The price hike, implemented at service stations without any official announcement, is likely to cause an immediate crisis for the incoming government of Umaru Yar'Adua, who takes over on Tuesday.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Russian Police Arrest Gay Rights Activists, European Lawmakers at Protest

(Bloomberg) -- Russian Police detained gay rights
activists and three European lawmakers as they demonstrated
outside the Moscow mayor's office today and Ultra-nationalists
also attacked the demonstrators.

Russian gay rights advocate Nikolai Alexeyev, who
organized today's event, and German parliament member Volker
Beck were pelted with eggs and then bundled into a police van
after attempting to deliver a letter to Moscow Mayor Yuri
Luzhkov requesting permission to hold a march in support of
gay rights in the city.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

Israeli Stocks Decline on Concern About Gaza, Rates, Led by Africa Israel

(Bloomberg) -- Israel's TA-25 Index fell following an
escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip. Africa Israel
Investment Ltd. paced the decline.

At least five Palestinians were killed in Israeli raids on
the Gaza Strip over the weekend. Israel is seeking to pressure
Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups to stop rocket
attacks on Sderot, an Israeli town near the border with Gaza.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Saudi Benchmark Index Gains, Led by Saudi Basic Industries: Gulf Stocks

(Bloomberg) -- Saudi shares rose for the first time
in three trading sessions, led by Saudi Basic Industries Corp.,
which said it may build factories in China.

The Tadawul All Share Index gained 36.02, or 0.5 percent, to
7745.27 in Riyadh. The index has dropped 2.4 percent this year,
adding to last year's 53 percent decline. The benchmark is the
world's eighth-worst performer this year among 90 indexes tracked
globally by Bloomberg.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Endemol's new owners to invest, shop: report

(Reuters) - Mediaset, owned by opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi, and De Mol are buying 75 percent of Endemol from Spain's Telefonica and are also in the market for the remaining 25 percent.




De Mol said he saw synergies for Endemol with Internet companies and search engines.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

Wall St closes up as Nasdaq, Coke spur M&A optimism

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Friday as takeover news, including Nasdaq's plan to buy Nordic exchange company OMX, boosted investor optimism, although trading was light ahead of a long holiday weekend.

Nasdaq Stock Market Inc.'s planned $3.7 billion acquisition of OMX would give the second-largest U.S. stock exchange a platform to expand in Europe, following a series of mergers in the sector.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Glaxo's Avandia study in jeopardy: official

(Reuters) - Independent research committees overseeing the study, which is designed to gauge any increased risk of heart attack or stroke for people taking it, "are concerned about the ability of the study to continue" and are "considering what to do to prevent people from dropping out of the trial," the Times quoted Krall as saying.




Safety concerns about Avandia were stoked on Monday when The New England Journal of Medicine suggested in an analysis that Avandia, a treatment for Type 2 diabetes, carries an increased risk of heart attack, estimated in excess of 40 percent, in comparison to other diabetes drugs or placebos.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

No objections against TNT price cap-Dutch government

(Reuters) - An amendment to the country's new postal law seeks to limit
the returns TNT can generate on part of its mail business, the
so-called universal service that includes letters and parcels.




Analysts have voiced concerns that the rule, put forward by
parliamentarians of the ruling Christian Democrats and Labour,
could hurt TNT's margins and as a consequence its valuation.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

UPDATE 1-Another UBS M&A boss out, new LBO heads in - memos

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 25 - Another top investment banker
at UBS is out, with Jeff Raich departing after six years,
according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters on Friday,
following the departure of several high-ranking UBS bankers in
the last few months.




The Swiss bank also announced a shake-up in its private
equity banking team, known in Wall Street terminology as the
financial sponsors group.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

National Beverage declares 20 pct stock dividend

(Reuters) - "The stock dividend and possible changes concerning overall
stock trading activities are designed to enhance shareholder
value and promote additional investor interest in our company,"
Chief Executive Nick Caporella said in a statement.





Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

GLOBAL MARKETS-M&A activity boosts stocks, dollar dips

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, May 25 - U.S. share prices rose on
Friday after Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. agreed to buy a Nordic
exchanges company while the dollar slipped on data showing U.S.
existing home sales last month neared a four-year low.




Treasury debt prices, meanwhile, remained on track for a
third straight week of losses, weighed down by a recent spate
of strong U.S. economic data, while oil prices rose ahead of a
U.S. holiday weekend and the start of the summer driving
season.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

UPDATE 2-CanWest MediaWorks fund agrees to go private

(Reuters) - TORONTO, May 25 - CanWest MediaWorks Income Fund
.




Units of the Toronto-based fund rose 65 Canadian cents, or
7.7 percent, to C$9.05 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, before
backing off to $9.02 on a volume of about 1.9 million units,
just above the C$9 offer price.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

FED FOCUS-Central banks toil to glean inflation expectations

(Reuters) - The task has become easier, but is still a very imprecise
science, according to papers presented at a conference hosted
here by the Dallas and Cleveland Federal Reserve banks.




The Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and other
authorities care about expectations for inflation because it
helps them gauge how households view price shocks, like a jump
in the cost of oil, and compare it with their own forecasts.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

FDA asks cos to stop marketing unapproved cold medicine versions

(Reuters) - Shares of the company were up more than 9 percent at $43.97 in afternoon trade on the Nasdaq.







Read more at Reuters.com Hot Stocks News

Hog Futures Fall as Pork Glut Headed for Grocers; Cattle Futures Decline

(Bloomberg) -- Hog futures fell in Chicago as
government figures showed a glut of pork will reach supermarket
shelves too late to be sold before what's traditionally one of
the largest grilling weekends in the U.S.

About 1.18 million hogs were slaughtered this week as of
yesterday, 4 percent more than in the same period last week,
according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Meat from those
animals won't arrive at supermarkets in time for the Memorial
Day weekend in the U.S., said Rich Nelson, a livestock analyst
at Allendale Inc. in McHenry, Illinois.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

U.S. Pound Posts Weekly Gain on Outlook for Manufacturing, Interest Rates

(Bloomberg) -- The pound gained against the dollar
this week as manufacturing figures and minutes from the Bank of
England's last policy meeting prompted traders to increase bets
that interest rates will rise.

The U.K. currency rallied the most in a month on May 23
after the central bank said that policy makers voted unanimously
for a change in interest rates for the first time since August
2004. The government today said gross domestic product grew in
the first quarter at a faster annual pace than economists
predicted in a Bloomberg survey.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Polish Zloty Drops for Third Week Against Euro as Investors Shun Risk

(Bloomberg) -- The Polish zloty fell for a third week
against the euro as investors turned more risk averse on concerns
about the pace of a rally in China's stocks and political tensions
with the army in Turkey.

The zloty was the sixth worst-performer against the euro of
71 currencies monitored by Bloomberg in the past five days.
Investor sentiment toward emerging markets also soured after
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on May 23 that
Chinese equities might undergo a ``dramatic contraction.''


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Freddie Mac to sell $6.0 bln bills next week

(Reuters) - -- $1.0 billion of one-month bills due June 25, 2007 to be
sold Wednesday and settle Thursday;




-- $2.0 billion of three-month bills due Aug. 27, 2007 to
be sold Tuesday and settle Wednesday;


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

U.S. existing home sales fell 2.6 pct in April

(Reuters) - The inventory of homes for sale grew 10.4 percent to 4.2
million units, which represents an 8.4 months' supply at the
current sales pace.




Economists polled by Reuters were expecting home resales to
rise to a 6.14 million-unit pace from the 6.12 million-unit
rate initially reported for March. The March sales pace was
revised to 6.15 million.


Read more at Reuters.com Economic News

Dethroned King of Beers Needs InBev's Stella, Beck's to Tap U.S. Thirst

(Bloomberg) -- Anheuser-Busch Cos. was dethroned as
the King of Beers as U.S. drinkers switched to imports. The
brewer's best shot at regaining the crown rests on distributing
those rivals' beers in its home market.

Anheuser-Busch, which was the world's biggest brewer for at
least five decades, began selling beers such as Stella Artois
and Beck's for InBev NV in February to lure consumers willing to
pay more for European ales as sales of Budweiser stagnate.


Read more at Bloomberg Exclusive News

AtheroGenics cuts 50 pct jobs to focus on heart drug

(Reuters) - The company, which now has 67 employees remaining, will announce the full plan on May 31, it said.






Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Oil Rises on Signs N.Y. Prices Fell Too Far, Nigeria Oil-Worker Kidnapping

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose in New York on
speculation that yesterday's 2.4 percent drop in prices was
larger than justified, and after oil workers were kidnapped in
Nigeria, Africa's biggest producer.

``Some recovery is to be expected after the huge move we had
yesterday,'' said Tom Bentz, an oil broker with BNP Paribas Inc.
in New York. ``There are still plenty of bullish factors to be
concerned about. There are more kidnappings in Nigeria and
threats of strikes and violence, the Iran situation simmers and
gasoline supplies are tight.''


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Gold Gains in New York as Euro Strengthens Against Dollar; Silver Advances

(Bloomberg) -- Gold in New York rebounded from a two-
month low as the euro strengthened against the dollar, increasing
the appeal of the precious metal as an alternative investment.
Silver also rose.

Gold generally moves in tandem with the euro, which rose
today after falling to a six-week low earlier this week. Before
today, gold had climbed 2.4 percent this year while the euro
gained 1.8 percent against the dollar.


Read more at Bloomberg Commodities News

Yen Falls After North Korea Test-Fires Missiles Into the Sea of Japan

(Bloomberg) -- The yen fell against the dollar and
euro after North Korea test-fired missiles into the Sea of Japan,
prompting a threat of sanctions from Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe.

The Japanese currency declined against all 16 most-actively
traded currencies tracked by Bloomberg after Abe said his
country's patience ``isn't limitless'' and Japan retains the
option of further sanctions against its Asian neighbor. North
Korea's actions are a setback for the six-party talks aimed at
dismantling its nuclear program.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

S.African public sector workers protest over pay

(Reuters) - Thousands of South African public sector workers staged peaceful protests over pay on Friday.

Unions have threatened indefinite strike action if the government does not meet their wage demands by May 31.


Read more at Reuters Africa

RPT-UPDATE 1-Airbus revamp should not be questioned-Germany

(Reuters) - "The programme should not be called into question. The
government expects that the company will fully implement the
programme," government spokesman Thomas Steg told a regular news
conference on Friday.




Focus magazine had reported a new row between France and
Germany was brewing as the Paris government believed the
restructuring measures, which include 10,000 job cuts, went in
Germany's favour.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Statoil Starts Kalundborg Refinery Crude Unit Following Five-Day Delay

(Bloomberg) -- Statoil ASA, Norway's biggest oil
company, started a crude distillation unit at its Kalundborg
refinery in Denmark today, five days later than it had planned.

``Startup of the CDU took place at 11 a.m. today,'' Orjan
Heradstveit, Statoil's public affairs manager, said in an e-mail.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

GeoVera files IPO of 5.9 mln shares at $16-$18 each

(Reuters) - GeoVera, a provider of specialty residential property
insurance products, said it applied for a Nasdaq lisitng under
the symbol "GEOV."





Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News

S.Africa's 3-month T-Bill rate up at 8.68 pct

(Reuters) - The average discount rate for South African three-month Treasury Bills rose to 8.68 percent on Friday from 8.64 percent last week, the Reserve Bank said.

The average yield was 8.87 percent from 8.83 percent, while applications for the 2.3 billion rand of bills on offer totalled 5.361 billion rand.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Franc Headed for Weekly Gain Versus Euro as SNB Signals Increase in Rates

(Bloomberg) -- The Swiss franc headed for a weekly
gain against the euro, snapping a four-week losing run, as
central bank policy makers indicated they may raise interest
rates to curb inflation.

The franc gained for a fifth day versus the euro after Swiss
National Bank President Jean-Pierre Roth and policy maker Thomas
Jordan said they're watching the impact of the franc's weakness
on inflation. The currency also rose before data that'll probably
show the country's leading economic indicators rose for a fourth
straight month in May.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

CapitaLand Plans Singapore's Biggest Convertible Bond Sale, Document Shows

(Bloomberg) -- CapitaLand Ltd., Southeast Asia's
biggest developer by sales, plans to raise S$1 billion ($655
million) in Singapore's biggest convertible bond sale, according
to a term sheet sent to investors.

The developer plans to let investors convert the 15-year,
2.95 percent securities into its shares at between S$13.5642 and
S$14.0486, a premium of as much as 74 percent from the volume-
weighted average price today, according to the document. It will
be the highest conversion premium for an equity-linked debt sale
in Asia and the longest maturity, according to Bloomberg data.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Polish Zloty Set for Third Week of Declines Versus Euro on Risk Aversion

(Bloomberg) -- The Polish zloty is set for a third
week of declines as investors turn more risk averse on concerns
about the pace of a rally in China's stocks and political tensions
with the army in Turkey.

The zloty was the fourth worst-performer against the euro of
71 currencies monitored by Bloomberg in the past five days.
Investor sentiment toward emerging markets also soured after
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on May 23 that
Chinese equities might undergo a ``dramatic contraction.''


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

U.K. Working-Day Electricity Price Advances as Natural Gas Costs Increase

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. electricity to be delivered on
the next working day jumped as natural-gas costs increased.

U.K. working-day-ahead baseload power rose 12 percent to 25
pounds ($49.66) a megawatt hour, up from a last traded price of
22.25 pounds a megawatt hour yesterday for delivery today,
according to prices on Bloomberg from the energy broker Spectron
Group Plc. The next working day is May 29, because of a public
holiday on May 28.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Dollar Heads for Fourth Weekly Gain Versus Euro on Rebound in Housing Data

(Bloomberg) -- The dollar headed for a fourth weekly
gain against the euro, the longest stretch in 15 months, as
traders scaled back expectations for a Federal Reserve interest-
rate cut this year.

The U.S. currency rose this week versus 11 of the 16 most-
active on speculation an existing-home sales report today may
beat economists' forecasts. The dollar strengthened yesterday
after new home sales increased the most in 14 years. The reports
may suggest the housing market is stabilizing, reducing the need
for lower borrowing costs.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

European Stocks Drop, Paced by Anglo American, Rio; OMX Surges on Takeover

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks dropped for a second
day, paced by mining companies, after copper in Shanghai fell the
most in a week and gold traded near a two-month low.

Anglo American Plc, the world's second-biggest mining
company, and Rio Tinto Plc, the third largest, paced the decline.
OMX AB surged after Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. agreed to buy
Europe's fifth-largest equity market.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Munich Re Says It Plans to Sell About $1.3 Billion of Subordinated Bonds

(Bloomberg) -- Munich Re, the world's second-biggest
reinsurer, plans to sell about 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) of
subordinated bonds.

The perpetual bonds, which will be marketed to investors
during the week ending June 1, will be callable by Munich Re from
10 years after the date of issue, the company said in an e-mailed
statement today. Until then, the bond will have a fixed coupon and
thereafter a floating rate, the Munich-based reinsurer said.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

HCI full-year profit jumps 143 pct

(Reuters) - South African media and leisure company Hosken Consolidated Investments increased full-year adjusted headline earnings per share by 52 percent and headline profit by 143 percent, the firm said on Friday.

HCI, which controls casino and hotel company Johnnic Holdings and has a majority stake in commercial TV broadcaster eTV, said headline profit rose to 511.2 million rand while adjusted headline EPS increased to 412.58 cents.


Read more at Reuters Africa

Nasdaq, Foiled on LSE Purchase, Will Acquire Sweden's OMX for $3.7 Billion

(Bloomberg) -- Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. agreed to buy
Sweden's OMX AB for 25.1 billion kronor ($3.7 billion) after
failed attempts to acquire London Stock Exchange Plc left the
U.S. company behind in the race to expand into Europe.

Nasdaq offered 208.1 kronor for each share in Stockholm-
based OMX, the companies said in statement today. Nasdaq will pay
with 0.502 new share and 94.3 kronor in cash for each share in
OMX, Europe's fifth-largest stock exchange.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Sudan Sells Nile Blend Crude Oil for Loading in July to Itochu, Chinaoil

(Bloomberg) -- Sudan Petroleum Corp., the country's
state-owned oil company, sold as much as 2 million barrels of
Nile Blend crude oil for loading in July to two buyers, said
traders who submitted offers.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Crude:         Nile Blend from Sudan
Quantity:      1 million barrels
Loading:       July, from Bashayer Marine Terminal
Buyer:         Itochu Corp.
Price:         **ICP Minas +$1.25 a barrel
---------------------------------------------------------------
Crude:         Nile Blend from Sudan
Quantity:      1 million barrels
Loading:       July, from Bashayer Marine Terminal
Buyer:         China National United Oil Corp. (Chinaoil)
Price:         **ICP Minas +28 cents a barrel
----------------------------------------------------------------

**ICP = Indonesian Crude Price


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

Buy Canadian Dollar Options to Bet on Currency's Rally, IDEAglobal Says

(Bloomberg) -- Investors should use options to bet
the Canadian dollar will extend its rally after reaching a 30-
year high this week, according to research firm IDEAglobal.

The currency rose to the highest since 1977 yesterday as
traders increased bets the central bank will raise interest
rates for the first time since May last year. Options are the
best way to make the bet because an investor can't lose more
than the premium they pay for the contract, IDEAglobal said.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Shenzhen Development Bank's Shares Surge After Company Raises Stock Offer

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of Shenzhen Development Bank
Co., controlled by buyout firm TPG Inc., surged by the daily
limit as trading resumed after the bank increased an offer to
investors to make all its stock tradable.

The stock gained 1.39 yuan, or 5 percent, to a record 29.24
yuan at 9:30 a.m. in Shenzhen. Shares of Shenzhen Development
have more than doubled this year, making it the best performer
among the nation's 10 publicly traded lenders.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News